A song from the sea

I walked through the mountains

and I was seeking my fame

and I was seeking my name

and I looked in the river

and I was seeking my face

and I was seeing my face

And I walked through the forests

and I was seeking my name

and I was seeking my fame

And the tall trees spoke to me

they were weeping my name

they were weeping my fame

and the crows flew over me

and the winds passed around me

as I was looking for my name

as I was looking for my fame

and I danced before the mast

and I danced before the storm

and the ship flew onward

as it sailed across the sea

I danced beside my coffin

I danced beside my wreath

the crows flew onward

as I sailed across the sea

but I never found my name

but I never found my fame

and the ship sailed onward

and it sailed across the sea

In late August, the Tweetspeak Poetry staff and some of the T.S. Poetry authors met at French Lick, Indiana. One evening was devoted to reading poetry and an informal concert. We heard Tania Runyan on the fiddle, Laura Lynn Brown on the flute, and Laurie Klein on the guitar. They played Irish and Scot music, and it was difficult to keep from dancing (some of us danced, and some of us watched). Two of the songs they played were “Da Full Rigged Ship” and “Da New Rigged Ship,” Scottish reels that are typically played together. The above is one of the songs (or poems) I wrote as I listened to the music.

Wailing Banshees: Da Full Rigged Ship / Da New Rigged Ship

Photograph by Linnaea Mallette via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.